Silicone Implants Ruptured, Extra-capsular! - England, GB

I had breast implants on the NHS in Sheffield, England, 10 years ago. I always had pain, especially in my left breast & went to dr's several times only to be told it was nothing. I suspected they were leaking a long time ago and then I found some lumps, one at the side of my right breast and several in my armpits! I went to the dr who referred me to the breast clinic where I had an ultrasound scan. The scan showed both my implants have ruptured and there is silicone in both my armpits. The lumps are my lymph glands and several of them are enlarged due to silicone! I am due to see a surgeon tomorrow and I am really scared! I will post some pictures soon.

I went to see my surgeon, he felt the swollen lymph nodes and lumps and said my implants have ruptured pretty badly and that the silicone has already migrated into my armpits and breast tissue and that it could continue to migrate to other parts of my body. He said that it can cause problems but then also said that there's no real urgency to get the implants out!? I explained that I want them out as soon as possible because the thought of silicone migrating to other parts of my body really scares me! He said he will try to get me scheduled in as soon as possible and if there's a cancellation he'll get me in at short notice so fingers crossed it happens soon.

I forgot to add in my previous comments that I was always very flat chested and very self concious about it. I was roughly a 30aa/32a but never really filled my bra. I used to get people commenting about my flat chest a lot and it really hurt so I always wished there was something I could do about it. Anyway, I had two children when I was quite young and I breast fed my second child for 9 months which made my breasts even worse and I got even more self concious about it.

I went to see my doctor when I was in my early twenties to ask about implants after wanting them for years and finally in 2003 after a lot of crying in my doctors surgery, I managed to get a referral. I couldn't afford to get them done privately as I was a single parent with 2 children and my low self esteem was affecting my whole life. I was 28 when I finally got them done, I couldn't choose my surgeon or the size of my implants because I was getting them done on the nhs. I said I simply wanted to look in proportion and fit in my clothes.

I was pleased with my results, I went up to a 30D but the size looked really natural and even in a swimming costume people couldn't tell I'd had them done, which was what I wanted. My left breast was always slightly higher than the right and I always had pain around the bottom of it but I was just grateful that I'd finally got boobs and looked normal.

I suspected my left breast was leaking years ago but everytime I went to my doctors I was told everything seemed fine and not to worry. I really wish now that I had pushed to get them to scan me back then before it got to my glands. In fact, I really wish now that I knew then what I know now because I don't think I would have had them done at all.

I've asked for them to be taken out ASAP and I've been given the option of having more in but if I wanted more it would be months before they would do the operation.

At first I thought I needed more in because it will be like having a mastectomy, almost. But then I found this site and there are so many explantation stories on here that they made me realise I don't need any more in. I also now have a very supportive husband who says he will love me no matter what.

I'm rambling now, sorry.

I've got my pre-admission appointment at hospital on Tuesday. I'm hoping that my op will be soon after that but I'm also terrified about having it done and dreading what I will feel like after! The surgeon says he'll remove the implants but will leave the capsules in if they look OK (I'm not sure about this as I thought they had to be removed after a rupture so I'll mention it on Tues). He said I will be very flat chested after and is leaving me the option to go back and have new implants when I've healed if I feel I need them. I really hope I don't feel I need them. I know I will be extremely flat after and will probably have very wrinkly skin but my husband says that because I'm slim it will look fine. I'm just worried I might look deformed depending on the affect the silicone has had and what the surgeon needs to remove. I don't like saying it but I'm scared he'll have to remove more than just the implants!!

Sorry this is such a long update!